Return envelope



March 9 1926. 1,575,769

J. A. KAYE RETURN ENVELOPE Filed May 17, 1924 m" Jnrm noE,

E-LGA u, ILL.

Mr. Richard Ra 8 Akron, Ohio,

1 Mr. Richard R, 8 Akrnn,Ohio,

INVENTOR.

JALKaye A TTORNEYS Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

JOHN A- mum, on SAUL'I S'.[ E. MARIE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

RETURN ENVELOPE.

Application filed May 17, 1924. Serial No. 713,894.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, JOHN A. KAYE, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Sault Ste. Marie, in the Province of Ontario andDominion .of- Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improve mentsin Return Envelopes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an envelope and has for its object toprovide a device of this character which embodies nov el features ofconstruction, whereby after it has once been sealed and opened it can beeffectively sealed a second time.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an envelope of thischaracter which can be inexpensively formed from a single blank of.paper or like material, whichcan be handled in the same manner as anordinary envelope, and after being originally mailed can be used by therecipient thereof forsending back his reply.' 1

The invention further contemplates are mailable envelope in whichtheaddress will be at all times clearly displayed, so that-there Will beno possibility of confusion or miscarriage, and which can be effectivelysealed so that it will be impossible to obtain access to the contentsthereof without opening or mutilating the same. r

lVhile-a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described indetail for illustrativepurposes, it will be understood that manymodifications and changes can be made in the details of constructionwithout departingfrom the spirit of the invention. For a fullunderstanding of the invention reference is to be had to the followingde-V scription and accompanying drawlngs, mi

t Figure 1 is a top plan View of the paper blank from which the envelopeis adapted to be formed.

Figure 2 is a plan View ,of the reverse side of the blank. v j I Figure3 is a view of the back of themvelope when it is ready to be sealed forthe first time, the original sealing flap being shown in an openposition and the extension of the bottom flap being shown in a foldedposition.

Figure 4: is a front view of the envelope after it has been initiallysealed and isready for mailing the firsttime.

Figure 5 is a rear view thereof.

Figure. 6 is a rear view of the envelope after t has been opened theextension being unfolded and in position preparatory to sealing the.envelope a second time.

Figure 7 is a front view of the envelope in the condition shown byFigure 6. v

. Figure 8 is a front view of the envelope after it has been sealed asecond time.

Figure 9 is a rear view thereof. Referring to the drawing, whichillustrates one of many possible embodiments of'the invention,thenumeral 1 designates the front of the envelope and has the size andshape of the envelope which it is desired to use. End flaps 2 projectfrom the ends of the front 1, and are adapted to be folded back against.the same on the fold lines 2*. The bottom flap 3 projects from thebottom of the front l and'is also adapted to be folded against the backthereof on the fold The'bottom flap 3 has a tapered formation andterminates in an extension 4:, which is of a sufficient size tocover'the front of the envelope. The base 4 of the extension fitsagainst the upper portion of the back of the envelope, and the end flaps2 are shown as provided with adhesive 5 which is applied thereto in sucha manner that it can beutilized for sticking the end flaps to the Ibottom flap 3 and base 4* of the extension 4.

The front 1 of the envelope is provided with a return .card 6 whichincludes the name and address of the sender and is shown as applied tothe front of the envelope in the usual position at the upper'left handcorner thereof. A stamp 7 may be placed upon the envelope in the usualposition at theupper right-hand corner thereof.

A place is provided for the address which may bewrittendirectlyPupon theenvelope if such is desired, although in the present instance theenvelope is formed with a window 8, so that an address which is appliedt'o an enclosure will be visiblethrough the window and can be utilizedas the address for the envelope. I

' The top flap 9 is adapted to be folded against the back of theenvelope on the fold line 9 and is provided with adhesive 10,

so that the envelope can be sealed in the usual manner. The top fiap issufficiently large so that it will form a pocket to receive the foldedextension 4:. This extension may be folded in any suitable manner,although for the purpose of convenience it is shown as first folded uponthe longitudinal fold lines f, after which the ends are turned back onthe transverse fold lines 4:. The extension may thus be compactly foldedso as to be completely received and housed within the pocket which isformed by the top flap 9 when the envelope is originally sealed.

The blank from which the envelope is formed is provided with tearlinesll which extend parallel to the fold line?) of the top flap, andare slightly spaced therefrom.

' Adhesive 12 is applied to the space between the tear lines 11, so thatwhen the top flap is folded in sealing. the envelope, the portions ofthe paper between the fold line 9 and the tear lines 11 will be fastenedtogether by the adhesive. The two tear lines 11 then come together andform a single tear line which is used for opening the envelope. Therecipient tears off the upper edge of the envelope along the tear line11 and free access can then be had to the interior of the envelope forthe purpose of removing the enclosures. This can easily be done withoutdanger of tearing or mutilating the member 41-. The recipient can usethe envelopelas a return envelope, and after his reply 01" any'desiredenclosures have been placed therein the extension member l is carefullytaken out of the pocket and unfolded, after which the gummed edgeportions 13 thereof are moistened and the extension affixed to the frontof the envelope. The extension is of such a size as to cover up theoriginal address and any other desired portions of the envelope, and maybe conveniently made of substantially the same size as the'envelope sothat it will cover the entire front thereof. When it is desired toutilize the return card 6 on the front of the envelope for the addressof the envelope when it is used a second time, the extension 4 is.provided with a window 14- which is so positioned as to bedisposed overthe return card when the extension is sealed upon the front of theenvelope. The window 14c may either be a transparent portion provided inthe paper or may be formed by cutting out a portion of the paper as maybe desired. The edge of the extension 4 is preferablyformed with atongue 15- which foldsaround the lower edge of the envelope and fitsagainst the back thereof when the extension is in position on the frontof the envelope, thereby giving additional security to the envelope andrendering it improbable that the extension will be torn away from'theenvelope or mutilated during transit.

The cancelled stamp wlnch was used when sending the envelope in thefirst place is covered up by the extension 4, and a suitable stamp 16for use in carrymg the envelope on its return journey may be applied tothe extension at the proper position, as indicated on the drawings.

With the foregoing construction it will be obvious that the envelope iseffectively sealed on both the original journey and the return journey.The envelope can be read 11y sealed a second time after 1t has beenoriginally opened, and when used as a rea sealing flap carried by thefront portion and provided at marginal portions thereof with adhesive bymeans of which it can be secured to the back portion to initially sealthe envelope and will cooperate with the said back portion to form apocket which is separated from the interior of the envelope by the backportion, and an extension projecting from the upper edge of the backportion and adapted to be secured to the front portion of the envelopeupon the second sealing thereof, said extension being compactly foldedupon itself and fitted within the pocket between the sealing flap andthe back when the envelope is initially sealed so that the interior ofthe envelope is not obstructed thereby:

2. An envelope including front and back portions, a sealing flapprojecting from the front and provided at marginal portions thereof withadhesive by means of which it can be secured to the back for initiallysealing the envelope, and will cooperate with the said back to form apocket, and an extension projecting from the upper edge of the back andadapted to be secured to the envelope front and extend over the addressreceiving portion thereof upon the second sealing of the envelope, saidextensionhaving end portions thereof separated from the back by slits sothat said end portions can be folded transversely and the extensionfurther folded longitudinally-so that it will be received within thebefore mentioned pocket between the sealing flap and back upon theinitial sealing of the envelope.

3. A return envelope of the character described, including front andback portions, a sealing flap carriedv by the front portion and providedat the end and sides thereof with adhesive by means of which it can besecured to the back portion to initially seal the envelope and willcooperate with the said back portion to form a pocket which is separatedfrom the interior of the envelope by the back portion, and an extensionprojecting from the upper edge of the back portion and adapted to besecured to the front portion of the envelope upon the second sealingthereof, said extension being of substantially the same size as thefront portion of the envelope and being compactly folded upon itselfboth longitudinally and transversely of itself to fit Within the pocketbetween the sealing lap and the back and leave the interior of the 10 Intestimon ture.

y whereof I aflix my sigma:

JOHN A. KAYE.

